Transcript Slide 1

http://www.extreme-weather-impacts.net/
Partner Universities
Extreme Weather
• The floods of 2007 led to the UK’s largest peacetime
emergency since World War II
• The recent events in Cumbria clearly indicate the effects and
impacts of extreme weather
• The impact of climate change means that the probability of
similar flood events is expected to increase
• Extreme weather also brings hazards such as heatwaves,
storms, subsidence, water-shortage, etc..
Commenced early 2008
The aims of CREW
The project has been established to:
o gain a better understanding of the impacts of extreme
weather events (current and future) at the local scale
o understand the opportunities and barriers to making local
communities more resilient to EWEs
o to evaluate a range of technical and adaptive measures for
reducing vulnerability to extreme weather
o develop a set of tools for informing local communities
about likely impacts and offer information on improving
resilience
The key beneficiaries of CREW
o Decision makers for community resilience
o Property owners
o Insurance companies
o The building industry
o Small to medium sized business enterprises
(SMEs)
o The research community
South London Study Area
How can society assess the full impact of
climate change?
• For local communities to adapt and cope with the
hazards of extreme weather requires a full and
accurate understanding of their impacts
– e.g. on employment, housing and well-being
Appropriate
quantification of
impacts
Appropriate
cost/benefit
calculations
Appropriate
decisions:
• Coping measures
• Location
• Investment
• Strategic planning
The cost of climate change
• Estimates exist at the macro level but are:
– Too far removed from the level at which local, practical
decisions are made
• Sub-regional (local) estimates are needed that are
pertinent to individual:
• Householders
• Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)
• Planners and local decision makers
SUBSIDENCE
HEATWAVE
FLOOD
Now – 2080
£
http://www.extreme-weather-impacts.net/